An Inconvenient Marriage
by xxxRickmaniac87xxx
Summary: An exchange student, entering into her final year, finds herself trapped in a new country, under a new law, and side by side with a certain surly, impossible Potions Master. MARRIAGE LAW CHALLENGE. READ & REVIEW PLEASE!
1. Chapter 1

_**Title - An Inconvenient Marriage**_

_**Author - xxxRickmaniac87xxx**_

_**Rating - Right now it is as G, but if I continue it will likely become a hard R. **_

_**Disclaimer - Anything you recognize, I do not own. I am just borrowing J.K. Rowling's world for a bit of fancy. No money is being made off of this.**_

_**Summary - An exchange student, entering into her final year, finds herself trapped in a new country, under a new law, and side by side with a certain surly, impossible Potions Master. MARRAIGE LAW CHALLENGE**_

_**Status - Incomplete**_

The Great Hall was already full with hungry students, all chattering eagerly with their friends. It was the night of the opening feast, the first night of term, and looking out past the door, standing with a group of younger students (all first years), Avi was fidgeting nervously. It was her first year here, as an exchange student from America, and she was only here for her seventh and final year before moving on to an adult life. She swallowed hard as Professor McGonagall finished her speech (Ari hadn't been listening), and the older woman turned to lead them all into the center of the Great Hall to be sorted. She was always so nervous on the first day of school, no matter how many times she had done it...

She tried to ignore the curious stares of the students as the teen, towering above the younger students in front of her, walked in with the rest, face covered by the hood of her school robes, only a little of her dark, wavy hair showing, shimmering in the candlelight. She couldn't even appreciate the scene of the enchanted ceiling above her as she waited for her name to be called out. She already knew it wouldn't be until all the first years had been sorted.

"Yasmin, Marina."

"Zander, Celestine."

"Zander, Corrinthia."

McGonagall folded up the scroll as the last two were both sent into Hufflepuff to rounding applause, and turned back to face the hall. "We also have an exchange student, who will be entering into her seventh year. Alexander, Aviandora. And take the hood off, you silly girl!"

Avi shakily pulled her hood down, revealing dark hair that flowed in beautiful waves down her back, and soulful, crystal blue eyes that had flecks of gold throughout the iris. Her skin was lightly tanned and flawless, and her lips were full. She had been told she was stunning her entire life, but she was much too modest to think so herself. Nonetheless, she couldn't help but notice the way that jaws dropped and eyes followed her as she walked to the stool, sat down, and placed the old, musty smelling hat on her head.

"Ah, interesting...very interesting..." a small voice in her head began, and she couldn't help but jump slightly. "A brilliant mind, but also a lot of ambition, a need to prove you are more then a pretty face. A fierce fighter, and a hot temper when pushed too far, and a lot of daring. But so cunning...very difficult choice. Oh, well, better be...SLYTHERIN!" The last word was shouted, and she jumped again, removing the hat to roaring cheers from a table at the front of the hall. She stood on shaky legs and made her way towards them, sitting automatically between two boys who moved to accomodate her.

"Congratulations," one said in a drawling, but not unpleasant voice. "You've made it into the best house. Draco Malfoy." She held out his hand, and she moved to shake it, but before she could, he grasped her fingers and raised it to his lips, brushing them across the knuckles dramatically. His friend on the other side of her rolled his eyes.

"Stop showing off, Draco. I'm Blaise Zabini. That's Crabbe, Goyle, and Pansy Parkinson." He motioned last to a pug nosed, dark haired girl who glared at her, but inclined her head.

The rest of the evening was spent eating and nodding in between long explanations from the others on life at Hogwarts. Where their dorms were, the best classes, the worst classes, the people to stay away from, the people who would get you far, the time set for curfew, and a million other details that made her slightly dizzy. It wasn't until the food had disappeared to be replaced by an astonishing number of desserts that she realized she was being watched. Looking up she saw one of the teachers, with black hair, pale skin, and dark eyes looking down at her. His gaze was so intense that she felt a shiver run down her spine.

"That's Snape," Draco muttered by way of explanation when he noticed where she was looking. "He is our Head of House, and Potions Master at Hogwarts. He always favours us, so stay on his good side."

_Snape_, she thought to herself as he finally looked away. _Well, I hope for my sake he likes me..._

_A/N - Hey all, this was just my attempt at writing a fic. This is only the first chapter, though I am not sure if I will keep going or not. What do you think? If anyone likes it, I will be happy to write some more. :)_


	2. Chapter 2

The night had passed by quickly, and the next day would be one of the most tiring of her life. Hogwarts was much larger then the school she had transfered from, a castle of endless hallways, shifting staircases, and full rooms that would disappear and reappear at will. She could barely find her classes, and she barely made it to her afternoon's Potions class, the bell ringing just as she through herself through the heavy stone door.

Everyone was already seated, and she found herself nearly colliding with the black robed form of Professor Snape. She blushed furiously.

"Sorry, Professor," she gasped in breathless voice, avoiding his gaze.

He gave her a quick glance, taking in her silver and green house tie, before his eyes met hers. The same feeling of warm intensity of the night before overcame her, and she had to resist the urge to shiver again, knowing that it would surely be noticed in such close proximity. What was wrong with her?

After a few more moments he flicked his eyes back to his roster, although, (was she imagining?) he seemed almost reluctant to do so.

"Sit down, Miss Alexander," he replied in an almost lazy voice, and she scurried away, moving automatically to where Draco was gesturing for her to join him.

"Move over, Pansy," he ordered, and the other girl looked affronted. However, she slide to the side, giving enough room on the potions bench for Avi to sit.

"Told you he favoured us," he murmed close to her ear, and he flashed her a grin. She forced a quick smile, trying to forget the way Snape's eyes had sent a wave of heat through her body.

The rest of the class went on as she had suspected it might, after a long night with several of the other girls explaining what she might expect. The Gryffindors, the house she was apparently supposed to immediatly hate, were treated rather unfairly, while the Slytherins were favoured almost to an appaling degree. Even being in the house she could see that the bias was wrong.

But despite her being totally aghast at the way Snape behaved, she couldn't help but admire his soft, commanding voice, his long fingers and the way they would almost caress the ingredients, the mastery in which he explained each instruction, guiding.

She nearly made several mistakes, even though Potions was always her best class, so lost was she in watching him, listening. It wasn't until halfway through the class that she was truely broken from this reverie, jolted from her thoughts by the sound a loud crack and a squeal.

She turned quickly to the boy just behind her, a round faced teen with scales errupting all over his pink skin. He had cracked his cauldron in two, and the potion had gotten all over him.

She didn't even take any time to think, but automatically jumped forward, pulling out her wand.

"Here, hold still," she said soothingly, as the boy continued to whimper pathetically. "This will only take a second...just take a few deep breaths..." She waved her wand in front of him, muttering a few words under her breath, the incantation having a lyrical sound to them, almost like she was singing.

Slowly, the scales began to vanish, and the boy calmed. She looked up and felt a shock...the entire classroom was there, staring at her and the boy, and just in front of her was Professor Snape.

For the second time that afternoon she felt herself blush, painfully aware of the black eyes focussed on her. She looked into his face and saw his expression was calculating, but otherwise unreadable, and she slowly straightened up, waiting for him to speak.

"I would like you to see me after class," she said after a long moment. Her brow furrowed in confusion, but he didn't elaborate, instead turning and barking at the rest of the class to get back to work, and deducting twenty points from Gryffindor for the boys incompetence.

She went back to her own cauldron nervously, and jumped when Draco leaned towards her, whispering, "Don't worry, you wont be in trouble, we never are. He probably just wants to tell you off a bit for helping a sack like Longbottom." He sniggered and turned back to his work.

She laughed softly, although her heart wasn't in it. Snape made her nervous, though she would never admit to that, and the thought of being alone in his office brought on an entire slew of barely definable, but very conflicting emotions. She shook her head. _Well, I suppose I will find out what he wants soon enough. No use ruining my potion over..._

_A/N – Well, there is chapter two all written up. What will Snape have to say? I'm afraid you'll have to wait and see. ;) hehe_


	3. Chapter 3

The bell had rung, and Avi was nervously getting her things together, wondering what Professor Snape could possibly want with her. She wasn't sure of what she thought of him. He was cruel and irritable, there was no doubt about that, and seemed to take some kind of sadistic pleasure in tormenting his students. But on the other hand he she had heard about some wonderful qualities from the other Slytherins.

She shook her head and sighed, gathered her things, and made her way to Snape's office in the back of the room, where he had already retreated. She knocked on the door pensively, hugging her potions book to her check, and heard him bark 'Enter'. She opened the door and stepped inside, turning to close it behind her, and taking a deep breath before turning back.

"You wanted to see me, Sir?" she asked. He nodded, and motioned to a chair in front of his desk, which she took immediately, as though he had barked the order.

"I was very impressed with your..._performance_ this afternoon," he said, and Avi couldn't tell from his voice if he was serious or not. His face was impassive, his eyes as cold as ever, but when they met hers she had to resist that urge to shiver yet again.

"It is obvious," he went on, looking away from her to shuffle a group of papers on his des, "that you are well beyond the level of this class. Or, indeed, any of my classes."

"It's always been my best subject, Sir," she said, blushing faintly. He looked at her for a long moment, as though judging her statement, and gave a single, curt nod.

"Which is why I would like to offer you an Apprenticeship," he said, and Avi looked up, surprised. "It will be a lot of work, and several extra hours. You will have to prove that you can handle the strain on top of all of your other classes, and that you can maintain the grades expected of you. But in return I will give you a greater challenge in Potions. Are you interested?"

"Oh yes, Sir!" Avi exclaimed happily, leaning forward in her chair. The corners of the Professor's lips twitched slightly.

"Very well, allow me to get the necessary paperwork," he replied, and stood up, sweeping from the room.

Avi looked around happily, gazing at the pickled animals in jars on the shelves, the various flasks on the desk, and finally her eyes rested on the Daily Prophet. The front page was turned back to reveal a picture of the Minister of Magic, speaking and gesturing wildly, as though giving a speech. The headline read '_Ministry Introduces New Marriage Law'. _

But before she could read any further, Snape came back into the room, and she momentarily forgot her curiosity.

_A/N – There is another chapter down! What will happen with the marriage law? Will Avi and Snape get along in her new apprenticeship? You will have to wait and see! Hehe. Please review and tell me anything you would like to happen! I always take my readers into account. :)_


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